Police used force to break up fights between Toronto FC fans and supporters of the Columbus Crew following Saturday's game, including an incident captured on video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clt80KpHx7c) of a man allegedly being Tasered.
The melee followed a 1-1 draw between the two teams that was attended by about 2,000 TFC fans.
"It was big enough to ask from cars all over the city to respond to that area because there were numerous fights and disturbances," Sargeant Rich Weiner of the Columbus Police Department said Tuesday.
"They're pretty much getting people out of the way," he said of the response by about 20 police cruisers who joined local security officials and off-duty officers assigned to the game. A helicopter was also used.
Weiner said he could not confirm that one man was hit with a Taser as was alleged in a clip posted on the popular site YouTube.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/611015

It seems a bit more ballanced

spezz44

03-31-2009, 02:37 PM

^^i ready this and thought the same, not so harsh and one sided

T_Mizz

03-31-2009, 02:46 PM

What the hell that cop's name is weiner? how are you supposed to respect him?

SilentSam

03-31-2009, 02:47 PM

On this article somebody commented:

Who in their right mind would take kids under the age of 12 to a TFC game? I would love to take my 4yr old but the way Toronto soccer fans act and the lack of cutting fans off from BOOZE is causing us to stay away from a wonderful sport.

Wow, I took my 3 year old last year and he had a riot. We sat in the NEE section, there was a whole camp of kids there. I won't comment on the rest of this but that kind of irked me.

GabrielHurl

03-31-2009, 02:51 PM

We sat in the NEE section, there was a whole camp of kids there. I won't comment on the rest of this but that kind of irked me.

The top part of 127 last year was OSA seats - not this year

trane

03-31-2009, 02:52 PM

^ My kid has come to the game on many occasions, he always had a great time, we do sit in the quitest section of BMO 104. But still. Sitll prety safe. I know that none of our supporters would do anything to endager a child. Swearing is another issue.

nfitz

03-31-2009, 02:54 PM

Swearing is another issue.Isn't it thought ... the mouths on these kids!

SilentSam

03-31-2009, 02:55 PM

The top part of 127 last year was OSA seats - not this year

Yes. That's a good point. I didn't want to suggest I would shove my kid in middle of a bunch drunk supporters. Might get beer spilt on him :)

But that would be the case in many sporting events. But those are expections and I don't really think about it when I go.

EvanVidinu

03-31-2009, 02:58 PM

Read an article in the Sun this morning.

Had a giant picture of the police ontop of the man.

tfcleeds

03-31-2009, 03:05 PM

So many asinine comments posted on the Star site, but I got a little chuckle out of this one:

"As much as I applaud the various firms in Toronto for trying to provide a real football atmosphere around the club. I personally fear that in the next 10 years or so we will see organized hooliganism the likes of England,Germany and Italy, which IMO takes away from the beauty of football. Need a real hooligan reference? Watch Green Street Hooligans or The Football Factory."

trane

03-31-2009, 03:07 PM

^ I noticed that as well, I thought it must be an HSH.

ACSertL

03-31-2009, 03:09 PM

So many asinine comments posted on the Star site, but I got a little chuckle out of this one:

"As much as I applaud the various firms in Toronto for trying to provide a real football atmosphere around the club. I personally fear that in the next 10 years or so we will see organized hooliganism the likes of England,Germany and Italy, which IMO takes away from the beauty of football. Need a real hooligan reference? Watch Green Street Hooligans or The Football Factory."

Germany? That's a stretch.

olegunnar

03-31-2009, 03:14 PM

Interesting he mentioned the arrest record.
what was it...around 1800-2000 people and 1 arrest.

A total media shitstorm...over 1 arrest.

Hitcho

03-31-2009, 03:16 PM

It's amazing how badly North Americans deal with anything that seems new and strange to them. There are so many people, in the press and in the public, who seem to be afraid of TFC as some kind of thug fest because "that's what happens in England and Italy at soccer games". I'm not saying everyone feels that way, but there seems to be a section of press and public that do. It's all crap of course. A real life case of "Reds under the bed" in fact! Muppets.

flatpicker

03-31-2009, 03:21 PM

Wow, I took my 3 year old last year and he had a riot.

If your 3 year old keeps causing riots at BMO then we will be in big trouble!

:D

SilentSam

03-31-2009, 03:30 PM

If your 3 year old keeps causing riots at BMO then we will be in big trouble!

:D

lol. He was the "one" those bastards arrested in Columbus! Kids are hard to control these days.

Hitcho

03-31-2009, 03:33 PM

^ heh, by the sounds of things his behaviour was probably well within the scope of action the KK police were prepared to pepper spray people for...

Rhapido

03-31-2009, 10:29 PM

Met the author of this Star article when we were down in KC for the opener. Nice guy who seemed genuinely impressed with the support and enthusiasm we have for our team.

Kudos to Geoff (Bluenose?!) for his eloquent response to the situation. This whole thing has been blown way out of proportion and articles like these help to defuse the controversy.